One of the comments I read today was saying the opposite of this.
One of the comments I read today was saying the opposite of this.
When people buy an app, they buy the current application, they don't buy promises of future code. Every update on top of that must be seen as a bonus.One of the comments I read today was saying the opposite of this.
That's unfortunate. I've cited FairEmail's model more than once as a seemingly excellent way to go about doing funded FOSS development.One of the comments I read today was saying the opposite of this.
When people buy an app, they buy the current application, they don't buy promises of future code. Every update on top of that must be seen as a bonus.
That is to say, you don't owe people sh*t.
Yup, as a privacy-oriented user, Google Play is nothing but hell. Aurora Store is down most of the time I try it and it takes ages to install anything (I don't blame them for this, I guess they do their best with their resources, still it's hell). So yup, any time I can get an APK from anywhere else, I happily do.Google Play may be an important source of installation, but for privacy-oriented / loyal users, the third-party sources (GitHub/F-droid/...) may be better or acceptable.
Fighting against Google only works if hundreds of thousands or Millions of people join that action. Even just a mere 1 - 5 k people won't make a difference for them. That's the reality behind the power imbalance where the customer can't seriously affect any change unless it's a significantly huge number or there's massive medial representation and outrage about this issue. But let's be realistic, this issue won't make into the headlines of any major news outlets for the general public.I use and paid for Fairemail and would be willing to donate time and money your way if you ever consider coming back to your projects. I think it extremely important for people like us to fight against what google wants. I think we all need to be using de-googled phone and hosting all our own emails. Fairemail is the only email client that I have come to love deeply. I love all the options and I really love the pgp intergration of openkeychain app. I only use software that is available without any google code and to hear your email app will not be maintained anymore makes me extremely sad.
I have crypto, cash, time, servers, or anything else that could possibly help run this project. Id go as far as forking it and maintaining it myself, but I'm **** at coding.
In the end, this application has literally brought me joy in my life and everyone I know uses it including my fiancé! Having your own postfix server and this app together is a match made in whatever sciences version of heaven is and I will honestly be extremely sadden to see it go and I am even more hurt to hear my contribution hasn't been enough and I am willing to change that and provide whatever I can to ensure this app lives on not only to give me a great app but to also give a huge middle finger to Google after they think they have won this match. The open source android community is strong enough still to stick it too google once again!
Edit: I'm also deeply sorry you have had to deal with so much negativity from normies on the google store. Your app is truly fantastic and I will use it as long as I can as there is no other option in my mind.
Edit: I'm donating 40 euro as my thank you for all your work. It is truly going to be missed.
My wording of fight against google may be a bit extreme. More mean that we can just refuse to use google as a way to express our feelings, not that it would realistically do anything in a legal or global view.Fighting against Google only works if hundreds of thousands or Millions of people join that action. Even just a mere 1 - 5 k people won't make a difference for them. That's the reality behind the power imbalance where the customer can't seriously affect any change unless it's a significantly huge number or there's massive medial representation and outrage about this issue. But let's be realistic, this issue won't make into the headlines of any major news outlets for the general public.
The only feasible way is to take a legal action. But doing this requires time, patience, a lot of funds and being backed by a well-known group like e.g. EFF. If Marcel is interested, I can ask EFF on his behalf, though my only contacts there are just to the people keeping books and maintaining member relations as I'm just a small-time sustained EFF member and supporter — if someone else has better connections, she or he may shout out here. But it could still be worth asking around and seeing if they're interested as Marcel isn't the only individual dev bullied by Google and achieving a precedential case on this might help the whole FOSS community.
Although I expressed my emotions here on several occasions, which I consider as healthy, I would call myself a rather stable person. However, the world around me is much bigger than I am and inevitably has an influence on me, often in unforeseen ways.This is really sad that you are discontinuing the project. A few posts before you claimed that you will maintain the project anyway regardless what happens. But you changed your mind. This is not very continously. Therefore I hope that you at least will change your mind again maybe if some time goes by and support the app with bug fixes, security fixes and support for upcoming Android releases. At least fairmail is your baby and you can be proud of this piece of software. Typically a baby isn't neglected.
Anyway, fairmail was a one man show and it was a matter of time unless you discontinue the project either wanted or unwanted.
I agree with you @M66B some user just give bad review coz they dont know how can they use it and some user give bad review just coz you dont help them for cheating some program its really suck as a dev its really demotivate and even some time i feel same we r dev just slave of users?even some time i see some user misbehave coz as a dev we dont response their ****ty questions.People dont understand paying some $ it doesnt mean you can think dev a slave for themThe balance
The few euros I receive in return for what's being offered and the fun of developing things are no compensation for the thousands of questions I answer every month, for unfair Play store reviews and for stress about unclear Google requirements.
The verdict
I have not reached a conclusion yet, but the question I am asking myself is why I would continue with the project. Maybe it is the moment, with a sick girlfriend, but I currently don't see it.
Alternatives
GitHub only version: 98% of the audience will be lost.
Strip down the app: more bad reviews
Paid support: more bad reviews
Stop answering questions: more bad reviews
Bad reviews will shift the balance only in the wrong direction.
Core problem
Google. There is no sensible way to appeal in case of bad reviews or alleged violations of Play store policies.
People. They are generally pretty demanding and on the other hand everything should be free.
Myself. An old and grumpy developer, who maybe should retired.
Input is welcome.
Beautifully writtenHi Marcel,
It is sad, that you are discontinuing the project as there is nothing like FairMail. However I understand and support your decision. Working with Google is incredibly frustrating and you have to deal with every whim they have with no way to defend yourself. While I would love to see FairMail maintained I don't want the person behind it to feel shackled by it.
I know first hand how frustrating working with Google is. They make random decisions, do stupid API changes and more ****. In theory Android is open, but thats not really true, because if you want to go outside the Google bubble, you either have to be in China or reach only a tiny audience. For developers who do it mostly because they want to, it becomes work rather than a hobby. I maintained an open-source app myself and over time I spent more time just updating it for newer Android version than developing anything new. I ended up burnt out and basically switched to maintenance mode only.
I hope the legacy of FairMail will continue in the future in someway. Once you take some time from this, please give another thought to the future of FairMail. It's fine if your decision stays the same, but sometimes time is enough to give you another perspective and maybe find a new way forward, even if you are not the one who maintains it. You put so much work into it that I think it would be a shame just let it collect virtual dust.
I wish you the best of luck on whatever you decide to do next. Thank you for creating FairMail in the first place. It's obvious it took a lot of work and passion to create it.
Privacy Policy
All apps must post a privacy policy in both the designated field in Play Console and within the app itself. The privacy policy must, together with any in-app disclosures, comprehensively disclose how your app accesses, collects, uses, and shares user data, not limited by the data disclosed in the Data Safety section. This must include:
The entity (e.g., developer, company) named in the app’s Google Play listing must appear in the privacy policy or the app must be named in the privacy policy. Apps that do not access any personal and sensitive user data must still submit a privacy policy.
- developer information and a privacy point of contact or a mechanism to submit inquiries
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